Knights softball has successful weekend after washout

STMA’s Tia Zachman readies herself for the next pitch (Photo by Jake Schroer)

By Jake Schroer

Crow River News Sports

The Knights softball team waited through a washout of a week for the opportunity to get back on the field.

When the team finally got back outside, it thrived. The Knights started the weekend with a walk-off win over the North Branch Vikings. Coach Kellie Shumway said it was a back-and-forth affair all game long.

Ashley Stecker hit in the winning run (Brianna Kinghorn) in the bottom of the seventh with two outs for an 8-7 STMA victory.

KNIGHTS WIN

TWICE IN

TOURNAMENT

The Knights traveled to Becker on Saturday for a tournament. In the first game, the Knights played the hosting Bulldogs and lost 4-3. The rest of the tournament went well for the Knights. STMA beat Rocori 8-6 and beat Foley 12-2.

“The girls played well all weekend, we’re very proud of them,” Shumway said.

STMA BEATS BIG LAKE

BY CLEARING BASES

The Knights came back home and played Big Lake on Monday. STMA got out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning before the Hornets made a bit of a comeback, scoring three runs to make it a 5-3 game.

STMA responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Tia Zachman came to the plate and emptied the bases with a triple, extending the lead to 8-3. Things settled down for most of the rest of the game.

Big Lake added a pair of runs in the sixth inning. In the seventh, the Hornets got a leadoff baserunner. She would be erased on a double play moments later, which turned out to be very important when the next two Hornets batters reached.

With the tying run at the plate, pitcher Riley Carlson induced a game-ending groundout for an 8-5 Knights victory.

Coach Shumway said the team played well, but it can play better.

“(Big Lake) threw a slower pitcher in the beginning and then put in their faster pitcher and the girls adjusted well to that, so that was good,” she said. She looked forward to playing Big Lake again at the end of the week.

The Knights played Buffalo on the road Tuesday. The team played Big Lake and Monticello during the week as well.